Even if you don't practice criminal law, there's a good chance that a friend, family member or client will ask you about the dangers of imbibing too much alcohol (or other drug) and getting behind the wheel. Don't let them down. This July 22 TennBarU webcast from Stephen Ross Johnson, a partner with Ritchie, Dillard, & Davies, PC, will provide you an entertaining overview of DUI law in Tennesee

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John E. Owings, Knox County Law Director and Robert C. McConkey, Deputy Law Director, Knoxville, Tennessee, for appellee.

Judge: FRANKS

Plaintiff filed this action as a "qui tam claim" pursuant to the Tennessee False Claims Act. Tenn. Code Ann. section 4-18-101 et seq. The Trial Court awarded plaintiff proceeds from the settlement under the Act and both parties have appealed. On appeal we hold that plaintiff did qualify under the statute as an original source, and the Trial Court had jurisdiction to award a recovery. However, we hold there is not sufficient evidence to affirm the award. We vacate the award and remand pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. section 27-3-128.

The plaintiffs filed an action for declaratory judgment to review an Ordinance changing the zoning of the plaintiffs' property. Upon concluding that the defendants improperly changed the zoning on the subject property, the trial court invalidated the Ordinance. The defendants appeal. We affirm.

Owners of an insured vehicle that was damaged by fire filed suit against their insurance company for breach of contract, failure to pay insurance claim in good faith, and violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Insurer filed a counter-complaint alleging that one of the insureds had
no right of recovery under the policy because she had no insurable interest in the vehicle and that the other insured was barred from seeking recovery under the policy because the insured failed to answer questions under oath when asked by the insurer. The trial court granted summary judgment to the insurer. Finding no error, we affirm.

Memphis lawyer Buck Lewis was elected vice chair of the newly formed Access to Justice Commission last week.
Lewis, who is immediate past president of the Tennessee Bar Association, was unanimously elected by the 10 members of the commission.

The list of cities and counties opting out of Tennessee's new law that allows people with gun permits to take their weapons into public parks keeps getting longer.
But a Nashville lawyer who has worked more than a decade to allow gun permit holders to bear arms in public parks said he is considering a court challenge.
Tennessee Firearms Association director John Harris said the opt-out provision for local governments is a "travesty" and might be challenged in court. The AP reported this story.

Burnette honored by national employment law group

Chattanooga lawyer Harry Burnette was recognized recently by the national College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in Washington, D.C. He is the first Chattanooga lawyer to be inducted into the organization. He was honored for his efforts in the area of work-related discrimination.

A Georgia appeals court has reversed a judge's contempt order that sent a lawyer to jail for making a sarcastic face.
Chief Judge A.J. "Buddy" Welch Jr. of Henry County Juvenile Court had found lawyer Ella A. S. Hughes in contempt for "giving sarcastic, unprofessional looks, body action that showed her disgust for the court's ruling and disrespect for the court in its entirety." Hughes was reacting to Welch's order requiring her client's children be taken into custody by child welfare authorities, according to the story. Hughes said she was just bowing her head to write down what the judge was saying.

The National Law Journal analyzes
"at least three Sonia Sotomayors" portrayed before the Senate Judiciary Committee at its four-day confirmation hearing last week. She is described as shackled (by precedent with no leeway to advance a personal agenda, even if she had one), activist and the "soon-to-be-unleashed Sonia Sotomayor who will reveal her long-hidden liberal stripes once she joins a Supreme Court that can do absolutely anything it wants."

Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton confirmed today that he is planning to retire on July 30.
Herenton also told members of the media that he had "ample reasons" for delaying his retirement earlier this month. A five-term mayor, Herenton had originally pledged to step down July 10 but later pushed his resignation date to July 30, fueling questions about whether he would resign at all.